Move-In Inspection Checklist: What Dubai Tenants Should Check Before Signing

Why this checklist matters in Dubai specifically

Dubai rental contracts (Ejari) are heavily landlord-favoured. Once you sign and pay, almost every repair becomes your responsibility unless it's a building-structural issue. The 30-minute walkthrough before you sign is the single most valuable half-hour of the lease — every problem you catch before signing is one the landlord pays to fix.

The 12-point checklist

1. AC cooling — every room

Turn every AC on at 18°C. Wait five minutes per unit. Vent air should be visibly cold — at least 10°C below room temperature. Weak cooling means the unit needs servicing, gas, or replacement before you move in. Note it in writing.

2. AC water leaks

Look at the ceiling around each indoor AC unit and at the wall behind it. Brown stains or fresh damp patches mean the condensate drain has overflowed at least once. Either the drain is blocked or the unit isn't level. Get it fixed now — water damage on your watch becomes your problem.

3. Water heater age and condition

Find the heater (usually in the kitchen ceiling void or bathroom). Note the brand and model. If it's older than 8 years, ask when it was last serviced. Old heaters are the #1 cause of mid-tenancy emergencies — they fail when you least expect.

4. Hot water at every tap

Run hot water at every tap and shower for 30 seconds. Lukewarm or no hot water means the heater isn't sized correctly, the connections are wrong, or there's a circuit-breaker issue. None of this is a tenant problem unless you accept it.

5. Plumbing leaks under sinks

Open every under-sink cabinet. Run the tap above it for a minute and feel the pipes. Damp wood, water stains, or visible drips need fixing. A slow leak on day one is a flooded cabinet by month three.

6. Toilet flush and refill

Flush each toilet. Check that it refills within 60 seconds and stops. A toilet that keeps running adds AED to your water bill every month. Easy fix for the landlord today.

7. Drain speed

Fill each sink and bath halfway and let it drain. Slow drains mean clogged traps or building stacks — both fixable, but easier to make a maintenance issue before signing.

8. Kitchen exhaust hood

Turn on the kitchen extractor. Hold tissue paper near the vent — it should be visibly pulled in. Weak or no suction means a clogged filter or a disconnected duct. Cooking without a working extractor in a Dubai apartment turns walls yellow within a year.

9. Power sockets

Walk every room with a phone charger. Test every outlet. Dead outlets are minor but persistent — easier to log all of them in one note than chase the landlord ten times.

10. Light fittings

Switch on every light. Note any that don't work, flicker, or have visible damage to the fitting. Most are bulb-replacement-cheap; some are wiring issues that aren't.

11. Door and window seals

In the UAE climate, gaps around doors and windows mean AC efficiency loss plus dust plus insects. Run your hand along the seal of each. If you can feel air moving on a hot day, the seal needs replacing.

12. Paint condition

Look at walls in oblique light. Note every scuff, hole, and water mark. Photograph before signing. UAE landlords routinely deduct from deposits for «damage» that was already there.

What to do with the list

Hand the landlord a signed, dated copy of every issue you found and ask for either (a) repairs before move-in, or (b) written acknowledgement that you didn't cause them. The latter protects your deposit when you move out.

Booking inspections on Everlook

If you're unsure how to assess any of this — particularly the AC, water heater, or wiring — book a one-hour pre-move-in inspection through Everlook. Licensed technicians across the UAE will walk the unit with you and produce a written report you can hand to the landlord. Common service, often AED 200-400 for a full apartment.